George w



2 snetsnshet 2,

G. W. STEWART.

GRIPPBR POR CABLE RAILWAYS.

(No Model.)

l No. 364,381.

Patented June 7, 1'887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE V. STEVART, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.,'ASSIGN OF THREE-FOURTHS TO JOHN SVVANN AND BENJAMIN F. MOSHER, BOTH OF SAME PLAGE.

GRIPPER FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,381, dated June 7, 1887.

Application tiled September 15, 1886. Serial No.2l3,505. (Noinodel.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York,in the county of New York, and State of 5 New York, have invented certain new and nse ful Improvements in Grippers for Cable Rail` ways; andi do declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaceompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. r 5 This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for gripping and releasing the cable on railways where the car is propelled by a continuously-moving cable placed between the tracks. ln cars which receive their mo tion from such a cable it becomes necessary to provide a gripping apparatus that may readily engage with or be disengaged from the cable, and that shall not injure the latter by bringing the strain of starting the carsuddenly upon it.

The object of the present invention is therelore to produce a gripping device that shall embrace a suflicient length of the cable in its grasp to prevent injury to the same, and that may be readily engaged or disengaged by the manipulation of the ordinary brake-staff, as well as raised entirely out of the tunnel `in which such cables are commonly placed when itis desired to do so, thus allowing the car to be operated by horses, should it become neces- 3,5- sary, in consequence of a break or other injury to the cable or its propelling mechanism, to do so; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the mechanism, so as to accomplish the abovenamed objects, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then specifically pointed out in l the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus as it appears when in use, and aportion of the car to which it is applied. Fig. 2 is an end view, showing the relative position of the parts when the cable is released. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on the line y g/ of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a plan show ing the lower halfof the grippingdeviee. Fig,

5 isan enlarged view of the slotted levers which raise thc movable jaw of the grip. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view ofthe rock-shaft and cam by which the slotted levers are caused to raise and lower the grip; and Fig. 7 is a perspective 55 of a part of the apparatus illustrating the arrangement of the gripsupporting paw l.

Like letters denote like paris.

ln the several gures only so much ofthe car and track as was needed to illustrate the 6o operation of the apparatus has been shown,

A representing the car-wheels andB the axles. Connecting the two axles of the truck are the beams D D, which are preferably of iron and attached to the axles by straps, which pass 6 5 around said axles and are attached to the beams by bolts or keys, leaving the axles free to revolve therein. Supported by these bars D D is thev case `E, preferably of castiron, and formed in a single piece. This case is provided 7o at the top with flanges?) b, which are bolted to the oar-floor H, and upon each side near the bottom,with iianges b' b bolted to the beams D D, thus securing the beams, case, and car firmly together. The case E is pierced verti- 75 cally by three orifices or mortises, for the rc ception of the gri p-carrying bars F, F', and G, and at one end with the projection ls, carrying the studs 7c', upon which oscillate the slotted levers C C, one upon each side of the case So E. The opposite ends of said levers are con nected with the stud-bolt C', which may be provided with a screw-thread at each end and screwed into the levers, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The bars F and F pass loosely through the mortises, at opposite ends of the case E, and carry near the lower ends the jaw or grip I, which is composed of two flanged pieces of metal, one of the flanges being rmly riveted 9C or otherwise secured to said bars, ,the other projecting at right angles therefrom and having its under surface curved so as to approximate in curvature to the surface of the cable.

The lower jaw, l', of the grip is securely at- 95 tached to the lower end ofthe bar G, having a free vertical movement upon the lower ends of the bars F and F', which project downward below the jaw I, and serve as guides for said lower jaw, the said jaw I being composed of two roo flanged pieces ol' metal similar in form to those in the jaw I,the concave surface ofthe projecting iiange being uppermost, so that when the jaws approach each other and grip the cable a large portion of its surface will be in contact with the concave surfaces of the jaws, thus avoiding the danger of injury to the cable by the strain of starting the car coming upon a small part of its surface.

The bar G is provided with a longitudinal slot, through which the stud-bolt connecting with the lever C passes, the upper end ol' the slot being in such position that when thelcvers are raised said bolt will raise the bar, causing the cable to be compressed between the jaws I and I' of the grip.

In order to operate thelevcrs C,a rock-shaft, L,is journaled in the case E, passing from side to side of the same through the slot in the bar G and a suitable opening in the case. This rock-shaft is provided with two cams,e e, placed beneath and inline with said levers, as shown in Fig. l, The rock-shaft is also further provided at each end with an upwardly-project` ing arm, e', to the outer ends of which is pivoted the stirrup or strap d, theloop embracing the case, and to which loop is attached a chain, d'. This chain passes forward to the brakestaff M, the revolution of which will wind up the chain, drawing the stirrup forward, and with it t-he arms e', thus oscillating" the rockshaft and causing the cams thereon to elevate the levers C, forcing upward the bar G, and gripping the cable between the jaws I and I'. A reverse movement of the brakestaff will of course allow the chain to unwind, when the weight of the parts will cause the j aw I' to drop, thus releasing the cable. The brake-staff is provided with a ratchet-wheel, and a pawl engaging therewith is secured to the car-door, so that when thegripis made to seize the cable it may be retained in such position as long as desired without further attention from the operator. The jaw I' is also provided at each end with a sheave, t', upon'which the cable rides when the grip is released.

As hereinbefore stated, it is sometimes desired to raise the grip entirely from the tunnel in which the cable is carried. To accomplish this, openings are made in the car-iloor corresponding with those in the case E, so that the bars F, F', and G may pass through the same into the car. To hold them in this position the case E is provided at one end with the projecting ears g, in which is pivoted a pawl, g. This pawl, when the grip is raised, enters a notch, a, in the bar F', (see Fig. 1,) retaining the grip and its connecting-bars in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, entirely above the road-bed, so that the car can be used upon an ordinary track, if desired. To raise the gripping mechanism, ahook may be inserted in the holeo forward in the upper end of the bar G, said hook being connected with any suitable elevating mechanism within the car.

To hold the grip in place when lowered into position for connection'with the cable, in addition to the pawl g', which may be caused to enter a notch, as a', in the bar. F', pins xx may be passed through holesin the case and similar holes in the bars F and F', when broughtinto position to register with the holes in the case, thus preventing any jumping up of the grip from the action of the cable or other source.

I am aware that many devices have heretofore been constructed in which the cable-gripping mechanism was composed of two jaws which were caused to clasp the cable by the action of a lever or cam; but none of these, so far as my knowledge extends, were provided with any means for raising the gripping mechanism from the tunnel in which the cable is commonly carried, so as to fit the car for immediate use upon any ordinary track, or to be drawn by horses upon the cable road should an accident to the cable or its operating mechanism make it necessary to use such a motive power. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-A 1. In a gripping mechanism for cable-cars, the flanged and mortised case E, suitably secured between the car-floor and beams D, in combination with the cablegrasping jaws, made vertically adjustable with relation to said case, substantially as specified.

2. In a gripping mechanism for cable-cars, the case E, in combination with the levers C, rock-shaft Il, provided with cams e, stirrupshaped strap d, chain d', and brake-staff M, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In a gripping mechanism for cable-cars, the combination ofthe vertically-mortised case E, the vertically-adjustablebarsF F', carrying the cable-graspingjaw I, thevertically-adjust able slotted bar G, carrying the jaw I', the levers C, rock-shaft L, provided with cams e and arms e', and the stirrup-shaped strap d, all arranged and operated substan ti all y as described.

4. In a gripping mechanism for cable-cars, the combination, with the ilanged and mortised casing E, secured between the car-floor and the beams D, substantially in the manner set forth, of the vertically-adjustable bars F, F', and G, and means for retaining said bars in an elevated or depressed position, as specified and shown.

5. In a gripping mechanism'for cable-cars, the combination of the case E, slot-ted vertically and flanged at b and b' to assist in securing it between the car-floor and the beams D, the verticallyadj ustable bars F F',carrying the jaw I, and the vertically-adjustable bar G, carrying the jaw I', provided with sheaves t' z, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the vertically-slotted and transversely-perforated case E, the bars F, F', and G, the jaw I, secured to bars F F', the jaw I', having sheaves@ and secured to the bar G, the rock-shaft l), provided with cams e and arms e', the stirrnp-shaped strap d, chain them in the desired position, substantially as ro cl, and brake-staff M, arranged to operate subdescribed.

stentially as describeda In testimony whereof I afx my signature in 7. The combination of the slotted ease E,ar presence of two Witnesses. ralnged between the ear-Hoor and the beams D, GEORGE f STEWART the vertically-adjustable bars F F', carrying the jaw I, the vertically-adjustable bar G,ear Witnesses:

Tying the jaw I', and suitable means for ele- L. HANGEN, vabing or depressing said bars andl retaining 1 F. J'. C. SWAINB 

